Aminul Islam, an opposition MLA in Assam was arrested and sent to 14 days' judicial remand on Tuesday, 7 April, for making "objectionable" remarks about the condition of quarantine facilities and hospitals treating COVID 19 patients, calling them ‘worse than detention centres’, police said.
Islam was produced before the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Gautam Daimary, who sent him to 14 days judicial remand after rejecting police's request to have the MLA's custody for five days.
Accordingly, the legislator was sent to Nagaon Central Jail, officials said.
Aminul Islam, the All India United Democratic Front (AIDUF) legislator from Dhing constituency, was apprehended early in the morning after a preliminary interrogation, state police chief Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta told PTI.
An audio clip containing a telephonic conversation purportedy between Islam and another person was released on social media, in which the lawmaker was heard talking "disparagingly" about the quarantine facilities and hospitals.
He also purportedly said the living conditions there were worse than those at the detention centres.
Hundreds of suspected illegal migrants and doubtful citizens, many of them Muslims, are lodged in the detention centres in Assam.
“We have registered a case against him under various sections of the IPC for criminal conspiracy, spreading disaffection between communities, among others,” Mahanta said.
He said the Assam Assembly Speaker has been informed about the development.
The Legislator Confessed During Interrogation That The Voice In The Audio Clip Was His
Addressing a press conference, Nagaon Superintendent of Police Gaurav Abhijit Dilip said:
“We received a complaint last evening about an audio clip allegedly circulated by Aminul Islam. The clip has content which are communal in nature.”
The case was registered at Nagaon police station and the MLA was called for interrogation, he added.
“During interrogation, Islam confessed that the voice in the clip was his. Secondly, he confessed the clip was made by him. The clip was therein his mobile phone also and we seized the phone. He said he had forwarded it to some people,”Gaurav Abhijit Dilip, Nagaon Superintendent of Police
All those who had forwarded the clip will also come under the purview of the inquiry and action will be initiated against them, he said, adding:
“Investigation is going on to ascertain the role of other people and the motive behind the clip.”
AIUDF Distances Itself From Legislator's Remarks
The AIUDF, headed by Badruddin Ajmal, sought to distance itself from the legislator's controversial remarks, saying the views are his and the party does not endorse them.
"The country is in crisis now. When the entire world is fighting against deadly coronavirus, such statements should not have been made. We have full faith on judiciary and the matter will proceed as per legal system," AIUDF Organising General Secretary Aminul Islam said in a statement.
He, however, pointed out that many ministers, MPs and MLAs had made such serious statements, but no action has been taken against them.
"We hope they will also be brought under the law, which is equal for everyone," the AIUDF general secretary added.
The BJP, however, made a scathing attack at the AIUDF on the matter.
“This MLA has made communal statements on many occasions earlier also and we are ashamed of those. At this moment, there is nothing called Hindu or Muslim. Our only fight is against COVID-19. We need to save people.”Rupak Sarmah, BJP MLA
Such communal statements will vitiate the atmosphere when everyone is unitedly fighting against the deadly disease, he added.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)